the mowynge to done yuell that thou praydest that it myght sone be ended that thou woldest fayne lernen that it ne shulde nat longe endure And that shrewes ben more vnsely yf they were of lenger durynge and moost vnsely yf they weren perdurable And after thys I haue shewed the that more vnsely ben shrewes whan they escapen without her ryghtfull payne than whan they bene punyshed by ryghtfull vengeaunce And of thys sentence foloweth it that than ben shrewes constrayned at the laste with moost greuous tourment whaÌ„ men wene that they ne be nat punyshed â–ª Boece Whan I consyder thy reasons ê™ I I ne trowe nat that men sayn any thynge more verely And yf I tourne ayen to the studyes of men who is he to whom it shulde seme that he ne shulde nat only leuen these thynges but eke gladly herken hem Philo. Certes ê™ she so it is but men maye nat for they haue theyr eyen so wont to the derknesse of erthly thynges that they ne maye nat lyfte hem vp to the lyght of clere sothfastnesse But they beÌ„ lyke to byrdes of whych the night lyghtneth her lokynges and the day blyndeth hem For whaÌ„ men loken nat the ordre of thynges but her lustes and talentes they wene that eyther the leue or the mowynge to done wyckednesse or els the scapynge wythout payne be weleful But consyder the iugemeÌ„t of the perdurable lawe for yf thou conferme thy courage to the best thynges thou ne hast no nede of no Iuge to yeuen the pryce or mede for thou hast ioyned thy selfe to the moost excellent thynges And yf thou haue enclined thy studies to the wycked thynges ne seke no foreyne wrekery out of thy selfe for thou thy selfe hast thrist thy selfe in no wycked thynges ryght as thou mightest lokeÌ„ by diuers tymes the foule erth and the heuen that all other thynges stynten fro without so that thou were in neyther ne se nothynge more Than sholde it semen to the as by only reason of lokyng that thou were nowe in the sterres nowe in the erth but the people loketh nat on these thynges What than shall we than aproche vs to hem that I haue shewed that ben lyke to beestes And what woldest thou sayn of thys yf that a man had al forlorne hys sight and had foryeten that he euer sawe and wened that no thing fayled him of perfection of mankynde Nowe we which mighteÌ„ sene the same thynges wold we nat sayne that he were blynde ne also ne accordeth nat the people to that I shal sayn the which thing is susteyned by as strounge foundementes of reason that is to sayn that more vnsely ben they that doÌ„ wroÌ„ges to other folke than they that the wronge suffren Boe. I wolde heren thilke same reasons ê™ I Philo. Denyest thou ê™ she that all shrewes ne ben worthy to haue tourment Nay ê™ I Philo. But ê™ she I am certayne by many reasons that shrewes ben vnsely Boece It accordeth quod I Phil. Than ne doutest thou not ê™ she that thylke folke that ben worthy of tourment that they ne be wretches Boece It accordeth well quod I Philoso If thou were thaÌ„ sette a iuge or a knower of thynges whether trowest thou that men shulde tourmenten hem that hathe done wronge or els hem that suffred the wronge Boece I doute not ê™ I that I nolde do suffycient satisfaction to hem that haue suffred wronge by the sorowe of hem that hath doone wronge Philo Than semeth it ê™ she that the doer of wronge is more wretche than he that suffred wronge Boece That foloweth well ê™ I Philo. Than ê™ she by these causes and by other causes that ben enforced by the same rote that fylth or synne by the propre nature of it maketh men wretches and it sheweth wel that the wronges that men don nys nat the wretchednesse of hym that receyueth the wronge but the wretchednesse of hym that dothe the wrong But certes ê™ she these oratours or aduocates done all the contrary for they enforcen hem to commone the Iuges to â—aâ—e pyte of hem that done the greuaunces and the wronges the which shrewes it were a more couenable thynge that the accusours or aduocates nat wroth but pyteous and debonayre ledden tho shrewes that haue done wronge to the iugement ryght as men leden syke folke to the leche for that they shulden sekyn out the maladyes of synne by tourment And by thys couenant eyther the entente of aduocates shulde cessen in all or els yf the offyce of the aduocates wolde better profyten to men it shuld be tourned in to the habyte of accusacyoÌ„ that is to sayn they shulden accuse shrewes and nat excusen hem And eke the shrewes hem selfe yf it were lefull to hem to sene at any clyfte the vertue that they haue forletten and sawen that they shuld put ten adowne the fylthes of her vyces by the tourmentes of paynes they ne oughten nat ryght for y e recompensacyon for to geteÌ„ hem bounte and prowesse whiche that they haue loste demen and holde that the ylke paynes weren tourmentes to hem and eke they wolden refuse the attendaunce of her aduocates and taken hem selfe to her Iuges and to her accusours for y e which it betydeth that as to the wyse folkes there nys no place yletten to hate y t is to sayne that hate ne hath no place amonge wyse men For no wight nyl haten good men but yf he were ouer moche a foole and for to haten shrewes it nys no reason for ryght as languysshynge is maladye of body ryght so ben vyces and synne maladye of courage And so as we ne deme nat that they whych that ben syke of her body ben worthy to ben hated but rather worthy of pyte Wel more worthy nat to ben hated but for to ben had in pyte ben they of which the thoughtes ben constrayned by felonous wyckednesse that is more cruell than any languysshynge of body Quid taÌ„tos iuuat excitare motus Et propria fatum sollicitate manu Si mortem petitis propinquat ipsa Sponte sua volucres nec remoratur equos c. WHat delyteth you to excyten so great mouynge of hatredes and to hasteÌ„ and busyen the fatal disposycyon of your deth with your propre handes that is to sayn by batayls or conteke For yf ye axen the dethe it hasteth hym of hys owne wyll ne dethe ne taryeth nat hys swyfte horse And the men that the serpentes and the lyon and the tygre and the beere and the bore seken to sleen wyth theyr tethe yet thylke same men seken to sleen eueryche of hem other wyth swerde Lo for her maners ben dyuers and discordaunt they mouen vnryghtful hostes cruel batayles and wylnen to perysshe by entrechaungynge of dartes but the reason of cruelte nys nat ynough rightful wylte thou thaÌ„ yelden a couenable guerdon to the desertes of men loue rightfully good folkes and haue pyte on shrewes Hinc ego video inquam
heuen And certes tyll they done amendemeÌ„t â–ª right as god yaue hys blessing to Pharao by the seruice of Iacob to Laban by the seruice of Ioseph Ryght so god wol yeue hys curse to such lordshyps as sustayn the wyckednes of her seruauntes but they come to amendement Pride of the table appeareth also full ofte for certes ryche men ben called to festes and pore folke benâ— put awaye rebuked And also in excesse of diuers meates and drynkes namely such maner bake meates dishemetes brenning of wylde fyre peynted and castelled wâ—th paper and semblable waste so that it is â—â—usyon to thynke And also in to greate â—â—cyousnesse of vessell and curiosytye of mâ—â—stralcye the whyche a man is sterred moâ— to delyces of lecherye yf so be he sette hys herte the lesse vpon oure Lorde Iesu Chriâ—t certaynlye it is a synne And certaynlye the delyces myght be so greate in thys case that a man myghte lyghtlye fall by hem into a deadly synne The especes that sourde of pride sothly whan they sourde of malyce ymagined auysed and forecaste or els of vsage ven deedly syn it is no dout And whaÌ„ they sourde by freelte vnauysed sodenlye sodenlye wythdrawe ayene all be they greuouse synnes I gesse that they be nat deedly Now might meÌ„ aske wherof that pride sourdeth and springeth I saye that soÌ„tyme it spryngeth of the goodes of nature somtyme of the goodes of fortune and soÌ„tyme of the goodes of grace Certes the goodes of nature stondeth only in goodes of bodye or goodes of y e soule Certes goodes of the body bene heel of body strength deliuernes beautie gentry fraÌ„chise Goodes of nature of the soule ben good with sharpe vnderstaÌ„dyng subtel engin vertue naturel good memory Goodes of fortune be ryches hye degrees of lordships praysyngs of the people Goodes of grace bene science power to suffer spounell traueyle benigne vertuous coÌ„templation vnderstanding of temptation semblable thynges of whych forsayd goodes certes it is a full greate folye a man to haue pride in any of hem all Nowe as for to speke of goodes of nature God wot that somtyme we haue hem in nature asmoche to our damage as to our profyt As to speke of heel of body truly it passeth ful lyghtly also it is full oft occasion of sickenesse of the soule for God wot y e fleshe is a great enemy to the shule therfore the more that the bodyes hole the more be we in peril to fal Also for to haue pride in hys strength of body it is an hie foly for certes the fleshe coueteth ayenst the spirite the more stroÌ„g the fleshe is the sorier maye the soule be And ouer all this strength of body worldly hardinesse causeth ful oft many man to perell and mischaunce also to haue pride of his gentry is right great foly for oftyme the geÌ„try of y e body taketh awey the gentry of the soule also we ben al of o father mother all we ben of o nature rotten corrupt both rich pore Forsoth o maner geÌ„try is for to praise that aparelleth maÌ„nes courage wyt vertue moralite maketh him Christes chyld For trust well that ouer what maÌ„ that syn hath maystry he is a very churle to synne Nowe ben there general signes of geÌ„tlenes as esche wyng of vice ribaudry seruage of syâ—n worde in werke countenaunce vsyng of vertue curtesy clennes to be liberal that is to say large by measure for y t y t passeth measure is foly synne Another is to remembre hym of bouÌ„tie that he of other folke hath receiued Another is to be benigne to hys good subictes wherfore sayth Senecke there is nothyng more couenable to a maÌ„ of hygh estate than debonairte and pite And therfore these flyes that men call bees whan they make her kynge they chese one that hath no pricke wherwyth he may stynge Another is man to haue a noble hert a diligent to attayne to the hyghe vertuous thynges Nowe certes a man to haue pride in the goodes of grace is also an outragious foly for those gyftes of grace y t shulde haue tourned hym to goodnesse and to medycen tourneth hym to venym and confusion as fayth saynte Greg. Certes also who so hath pride in the goodnesse of fortune he is a ful greate fole For somtyme is a maÌ„ a great lorde by the morne that is a catyfe and a wretche or it be nyght and somtyme the ryches of a man is cause of his death Somtyme the delyces of a man is cause of a greuous melady throughe whyche he dyeth Certes the comendation of the people is somtyme full false and brotell for to trust Thys day they prayse to morow they blame God wot desyre to haue coÌ„mendation of the people hath caused death to manye a busye man Nowe syth that so it is that ye haue vnderstande what is pride and which be the speces of it and whence it sourdeth spryngeth nowe ye shall vnderstand which is the remedy ayenst it Humilytie or mekenesse is the remedye ayenst pride y t is a vertue through whyche a maÌ„ hath very knowledge of hym selfe and holdeth of hym selfe no price ne deyntie as in regarde of hys desertes consyderynge euer hys freelte Now bene there thre maner of humilytes As humylyte in herte another humylytye is in mouthe and the thyrde is in workes The humilytie in herte is in four maners That one is whan a manne holdeth hym selfe as nought worth before God of heuen The seconde is whan he dispiceth none other man The thyrde is whan he ne recketh nat though men holde hym nought worth And the fourth is whaÌ„ he is not sory of his humiliation Also the humilitie of mouth is in four thinges In a temperate speche in humilitie of spech whaÌ„ he coÌ„fesseth with his owne mouth that he is suche as him thynketh that he is in his hert Another is whaÌ„ he prayseth the bounte of another man nothyng therof minyssheth Humilitye also in werke is in foure maners The fyrste is whan he putteth other men before him y e second is to chese the lowest place ouer al the thyrde is gladly to assent to good couÌ„sayle the fourth in to stand gladly to the awarde of his souerains or of him that is in hier degre Certeyn this is gret werke of humilite ¶ De Inuidia AFter Pride woll I speke of the foule synne of Enuye whyche that is after the worde of the philosofer sorow of other mennes prosperitie And after the worde of saynt Augustin it is sorowe of other mennes wele the ioy of other meÌ„nes harme This foule synne is platly agaynste the holy ghost al be it so that euery synne is ayenst the holy gost yet nathles for asmoch as bounte apertayneth properly to the holy gost enuy cometh properly of malice therfore it is properlye ayenst the bountie of the holy gost Nowe hath malice
by might It shulde nat ben suffred me to erre As it stonte nowe ne done so great vnright I shulde haue also blame of euery wight My fathers graunt yf that I so withstode Sens she is chaunged for the townes gode I haue eke thought so it were her assent To aske her at my father of hys grace Then thynke I thys were her accusement Sens well I wote I may her not purchace For sens my father in so hygh a place As parlyment hath her eschaunge ensealed He nyll for me hys lettre be repealed Yet drede I moste her herte to perturbe wyth violence yf I do suche a game For yf I wolde it openly dysturbe It muste be dysclaundre to her name And me were leuer dye then her defame As nolde god but I shulde haue Her honour leuer then my lyfe to saue Thus am I loste for aught that I can se For certayne is that I am her knyght I muste her honour leuer haue then me In euery case as louer ought of ryght Thus am I with desyre and reason twyght Desyre for to dystourben her me redeth And reason nyll not so myne herte dredeth Thus wepynge that he could neuer cease He sayd alas how shall I wretch fare For well fele I alwaye my loue encrease And hope is lasse and lasse Pandare Encreasen eke the causes of my care So welawaye why nyll myne herte breste For as in loue there is but lytell reste Pandare answerd frende thou mayst for me Done as the lyst but had I it so hote And thyne estate she shulde go wyth me Tho al this towne cryed on thys thynge by note I nolde set at al that noyse a grote For wheÌ„ meÌ„ haue cryed theÌ„ woll they ronne Eke woÌ„der last but .ix. dayes neuer in tonne Deuyne not in reason aye so depe Ne curtesly but helpe thy selfe anone Bet is that other then thy seluen wepe And namely sens ye two ben all one Ryse vp for by myne heed she shall not gone And rather be in blame a lytell yfounde TheÌ„ sterue here as a gnat withouteÌ„ wouÌ„de It is no shame vnto you ne no vyce Her to wyth holden that ye loueth moste Parauenture she myght holde the for nyce So letten her go thus vnto the grekes hoste Thinke eke fortune as wel thy seluen woste Helpeth hardy man vnto hys empryse And weyueth wretches for her cowardyse And though thy lady wolde alyte her greue Thou shalt thy selfe thy peace herafter make But as to me certayne I can not leue That she wolde it as nowe for yuell take why shulde then for feare thyne herte quake Thynke howe Paris hath y t is thy brother A loue why shalt thou not haue another And Troylus o thynge I dare the swere That yf Creseyde whych that is thy lefe Nowe loueth the as well as thou doste here God helpe me so she nyll not take a grefe Though y u do boote anone in this myschefe And yf she wylneth fro the for to passe Then is she false so loue her well the lasse For thy take hert thynke ryght as a knight Through loue is broken aldaye euery lawe Kyth now somwhat thy corage thy myght Haue mercy on thy selfe for any awe Let not this wretched wo thyne hert gnawe But manly set the worlde on syxe seuen And yf thou dye a marter go to heuen I wol my selfe ben wyth the at thys dede Though I and all my kyn vpon a stounde Shulde in a strete as dogges lyggen deede Through gyrte wyth many a bloody wouÌ„de In euery case I woll a frende be founde And yf the lysteth here steruen as a wretche Adieu the deuell spede hym that retche Thys Troylus gan w t tho wordes quicken And sayd frende graunt mercy I assent But certaynly thou mayst not so me prycken Ne payne none ne may me so turment That for no case it is not myne entent At short wordes though I dyen sholde To rauyshen her but yf her selfe it wolde why so meane I ê™ PaÌ„darus al this day But tel me then hast thou her well assayde That sorowest thus he answerde him nay wherof arte thou ê™ PaÌ„dare theÌ„ dysmayde That nost not that she woll ben euel apayde To rauysheÌ„ her sens thou hast not ben there But yf that Ioue tolde it in thyne eere For thy ryse vp as nought ne were anone And washe thy face to y e kynge thou weÌ„de Or he may wondren whyther thou art gone Thou must w t wysedome hym other blede Or vpon case he may after the sende Or thou beware and shortly brother dere Be glad let me werke in thys matere For I shall shape it so that sekerly Thou shalt this night soÌ„time in some maner Come speken wyth thy lady priuely And by her wordes eke as by her chere Thou shalt full sone aperceyue wel here Of her entent and in thys case the beste And fare nowe wel for in this poynt I reste The swyfte fame whych y t false thinges Equall reporteth lyke the thynges trewe was throughout Troy isled w t prestwinges Fro man to man and made hys tale al newe How Calcas doughter with her bright hew At parlyment wythout wordes more I graunted was in chaunge of Antenore The whych tale anone ryght as Creseyde Had herde she whych y t of her father rought As in thys case right nauÈt ne wheÌ„ he deyd Ful busely to Iupiter besought Yeue hem myschauÌ„ce y t thys tretys brought But shortly leste these tales soth were She durste at no wyght asken it for fere As she that had her herte al her mynde On Troylus yset so wonder faste That al this world ne miÈt her loue vnbynd Ne Troylus out of her herte caste She wold beÌ„ hys whyle y t her lyfe may last And she thus brenneth both in loue drede So that she nyst what was best to rede But as men sene in towne and all aboute That women vsen her frendes to visyte So to Creseyde of women came a route For pitous ioye and wenden her delyte And wyth her tales dere ynough a myte These women whych that in the cyte dwell They set hem downe sayd as I shall tell Quod fyrst that one I am glad trewly Bycause of you that shall your father se Another sayd ywys so am not I For all to lytle hath she wyth vs be Quod tho the thyrd I hope ywys that she Shall bryngen vs the peace on euery syde That wheÌ„ she goeth almyghty god her gyde Tho wordes tho womannyshe thynges She herd heÌ„ ryght as though she theÌ„ce were For god it wote her hert on other thynge is Although the body sat amonge hem there Her aduertence is alwaye els where For Troylus full faste her soule sought wythouteÌ„ worde on hym alway she thought These women that thus wendeÌ„ her to plese About naught gonne all her tales spende Suche vanite ne can done her none ese As she that all thys meane whyle
fro louers lefte and al forlayne whan thys was sayd downe in an extasy Rauyshed in sprite in a dreame she fel And by apparaunce herde where she dyd lye Cupide the kyng tynkyng a syluer bel which men myght here fro heuen in to hel At whose sounde before Cupide aperes the seueÌ„ planets discendyng fro their speres which hath power of all thyng generable To rule and stere by their great influence weder and wynde and course variable And fyrste of al Saturne gaue hys sentence which gaue to Cupide lytle reuerence But as a boystous churle in hys manere Came crabbedly wyth austryne loke chere His face frounced his lere was lyke y e leed Hys teth chattred sheuered wyth the chyn His eyen drouped hole sonken in hys heed Out at his nose the myldrop fast gan ryn with lyppes blo chekes leaue and thyn The yse yekels y t fro hys heer downe honge was wonder great as a speare as longe Attour hys belte his lyarte lockes lay Feltred vnfayre ouerfret wyth frostes hore His garment and his gate fal gay of gray His widdred wede fro hiÌ„ y e winde out wore A boustous bow within his hande he bore Vnder his gyrdel a fashe of felone flayns Feddred with yse heeded wyth holstayns Than Iupiter ryght fayre and amiable God of the sterres in the fyrmament And norice to al thyng generable Fro hys father Saturne farre different with burly face and browes bryght brent Vpon hys heed a garlonde wonders gaye Of floures fayre as it had ben in Maye his voice was clere as christal was his eien As golddeÌ„ wier so glettring was his heare His garmente and his gyte ful gay of grene wyth golden lystes gylte on euery geare A burly brande aboute his myddle he beare In his ryght hande he had a groundeÌ„ spere Of hys father the wrath fro vs to bere Next after him came Mars the god of yre Of stryfe debate and all discentioun To chyde and fyght as feirse as any fyre In harde harnesse hewmoÌ„de habergioun And on his haunch a rousty fel fauchoun And in his hande he had a rousty sworde writhyng his face with many angry worde Shaking his brande befor Cupide he come with reed visage grisely glowyng eyen And at his mouth a blubber stode of fome Lyke to a boore whettinge his tuskes keyn Right tulsure lyke but temperaunce in tene An horne blew w t many boustous bragge which al this world w t warre hath made to wagge ThaÌ„ fayre Phebus lanterne laÌ„pe of lyght Of man beest both frute and florishyng Tender norice and banysher of nyght And of the worlde causyng by his mouyng And influence lyfe in al erthly thyng without coÌ„forte of whom of force to nought Must go dye y t al this world hath wrought As kyng royal he rode vpon a chare The which Phiton soÌ„tyme gyded vnright the bryghtnesse of hys face whaÌ„ it was bare Non might beholde for persing of his sight This golden carte with firy beames bright Foure yoked stedes ful different of hewe But bayt or tyring through the speres drew The first was sord w t mane as reed as rose Called Eoye in to the orient The seconde stede to name hight Ethyose whitely and pale and some dele ascendent The thyrde Perose right hote eke feruent The fourth was blacke called Phelologee which rolleth Phebus downe in to the see Venus was there present that goddes gay Her sonnes quarel to defende and make his owne complaynt cladde in a nyce aray the one halfe grene thother halfe sable blake white heer as golde kembet shed a bake But in her face semed great variaunce whyle parfite trouth whyles incoÌ„staunce Vnder smylyng she was dissimulate Prouocatyue with blynkes amorous And sodaynly chaunged and alterate Angry as any serpent venomous Ryght pungityue with wordes odious Thus variauÌ„t she was who lyst take kepe with one eye laugh and with y e other wepe In tokenyng that al flesshly paramour which Venus hath in rule gouernaunce Is somtyme swete somtyme bytter sour Ryght vnstable and full of variaunce Mynged with careful ioy false pleasauÌ„ce Now hote now colde now blythe now full of wo now grene as lefe now widred ago with boke in hand than come Mercurious Ryght eloquent and full of rethorye with polyte termes and delicious with penne and ynke to report all readye Settyng songes and syngen merely His hode was red hecled attour his crown Lyke tyll a poete of the olde fassyoun Bores he bare with fyne electuares And sugred syropes for digestion Spyces belongyng to the potiquares with many holsome swete confectioun Doctor in phisyke cled in a scarlet gowne And furred wele as such one ought to be Honest good and nat a worde couth lye Next after him come lady Synthia The last of al and swyftest in her spere Of colour blacke busked with hornes twa And in the nyght she lysteth best tapere Hawe as the leed of colour nothyng clere For al the light she boroweth at her brother Tytan for of her self she hath none other Her gyte was gray and full of spottes blak And on her breest a churle paynted full euen Bearyng a bush of thornes on his backe which for his theft miÈt clime no ner y e heueÌ„ Thus whaÌ„ they gadred wer y e goddes seueÌ„ Mercurius they chosed with one assent To be forespeker in the parlyment who had ben there and lykyng for to here His facondetonge and termes exquisyte Of rethorike the practyke he myght lere In brefe sermon a preignauÌ„t sentence write Before Cupide valyng his cappe alyte Sper is the cause of that vacatioun And he anon shewed his ententioun Lo ê™ Cupide who wol blaspheme y e name Of his owne god eyther in worde or dede To all goddes he doth both losse and shame And shulde haue bytter paynes to his mede I say this by yonder wretche Creseyde The which thrugh me was soÌ„tyme flour of loue Me my mother she statelye gan reproue Saying of her great infelicitie I was the cause and my mother Venus She called a blynde goddes myght nat se with sclaunder and defame iniurious Thus her lyuyng vnclene and lecherous She wolde retort in me and my mother To whoÌ„ I shewed my grace aboue al other And syth ye are al seuen delicate Participant of deuyne sapience This great iniure done to our hye estate Me thiÌ„k w t payn we shulde make recoÌ„pence was neuer to goddes done such violence As well for you as for my selfe I saye Therfore go helpe to reuenge I you praye Mercurius to Cupide gaue answere And sayd syr kyng my couÌ„sayle is that ye Referre you to the hyest planet here And take to him the lowest of degree The payne of Creseyde for to modefye As god Saturne with hym take Synthia I am coÌ„tent ê™ he to take they twa Than thus proceded Saturne the moone whan they the matter rypely had degest For the despyte to
lyghtlye come to the grace that thou longe hast desyred of thilke iewel Hast thou not herde many ensamples howe I haue comforted and releued the scholers of my lore who hathe worthyed kynges in the felde who hath honoured ladyes in boure by a perpetual myrroure of theyr trouthe in my seruyce who hath caused worthye folke to voyde vyce shame who hath holde cyties and realmes in prosperitie yf the lyste cleape ayen thyne olde remeÌ„braunce thou coudest euery poynt of this declare in especyall and saye that I thy maystresse haue be cause causyng these thynges and many mo other Nowe ywys madame quod I al these thinges I know well my selfe and that thyne excellence passeth the vnderstandynge of vs beestes and that nomans wyt erthly may comprehende thy vertues well than ê™ she for I se the in disease and sorow I wote wel thou art one of myne nories I maye not suffre the so to make sorow thyne owne selfe to shende but I my selfe come to be thy fere thyne heauye charge to make to seme the lesse for woo is hym that is alone And to the sory to beÌ„ moned by a sorowfull wyght it is greate gladnesse Right so with my sycke frendes I am sycke and with sorye I can not els but sorowe make tyll whan I haue hem releued in suche wyse that gladnesse in a maner of countrepaysyng shal restore as mokel in ioy as the passed heuynesse beforne dyd in tene And also ê™ she whan anye of my seruauntes ben alone in solitary place I haue yet euer busyed me to be with hem in comfort of theyr hertes and taught hem to make songes of playnte and of blysse and to endyten letters of rethorycke in queynt vnderstaÌ„dynges to bethynke hem in what wyse they mygt best theyr ladyes in good seruice plese and also to lerne maner in countenaunce in wordes in bearynge and to ben meke and lowlye to euery wyght his name fame to encrease and to yeue great yeftes and large that his renome may spryngen but the therof haue I excused for thy losse and thy great costages wherthrough thou art nedy arne nothynge to me vnknowen but I hope to god somtyme it shall ben amended as thus as I sayde In nortuoure haue I taught al myne and in curtesie made hem expert their ladyes hertes to wyn and yf any wolde endeynous or proude or be enuious or of wretches acquayntaunce hasteliche haue I such voyded out of my schole for all vyces trulye I hate vertues and worthynesse in all my power I auaunce Ah worthye creature ê™ I and by iuste cause the name of goddesse dignely ye mowe beare In the lyth y e grace through which any creature in this worlde hath any goodnesse truly all maner of blysse and precyousnesse in vertue out of the springen and wellen as brokes and ryuers proceden from theyr sprynges and lyke as all waters by kynde drawen to the see so all kyndly thynges thresten by full appetyte of desyre to draw after thy steppes and to thy presence approche as to theyr kyndely perfectioÌ„ How dare than beestes in this world ought forfayte ayenste thy deuyne purueyaunce Also ladye ye knowen all the pryuye thoughtes in hertes no counsayle may ben hydde from your knowynge wherfore I wot well lady that ye knowe youre selfe that I in my conscyence am and haue ben wyllyng to your seruyce al coulde I neuer do as I shulde yet forsothe fayned I neuer to loue otherwise thaÌ„ was in myne herte and yf I coulde haue made cheare to one and ythought an other as many other done all daye afore myne eyen I trowe it wolde not me haue vayled Certes quod she haddest thou so done I wold not now haue the here vysited Ye wete wel lady eke quod I that I haue not played racket nettyll in docke out and with the wethercock waued and truly there ye me sette by accorde of my conscience I wolde not flye tyll ye and reason by aperte strength made myne herte to tourne In good faythe quod she I haue knowe the euer of tho condicions and sytheÌ„ thou woldest in as moche as in the was a made me pryuy of thy counsayle and iuge of thy conscience though I forsoke it in tho dayes tyl I sawe better my tyme wold neuer god that I shulde now fayle but euer I wyll be ready wytnessynge thy soth in what place that euer I shall ayenste all tho that wol the contrary susteyne And for as moch as to me is nought vnknowen ne hydde of thy pryuy hert but al hast thou tho thinges made to me open at the full that hath caused my commynge into this prison to voyde the webbes of thyne eyen to make the clerly to se the erroures thou hast bene in and bycause that men bene of dyuers condicyons some adradde to saye a soth and some for a sothe anon readye to fyght and also that I maye not my selfe bene in place to withsaye thylke men that of the speaken otherwyse than the sothe I woll and I charge the in vertue of obedyence that thou to me owest to wryten my wordes and set hem in wrytynges that they mowe as my wytnessyng ben noted amonge the people For bookes wrytten neyther dreden ne shame ne stryue conne but only shewen the entent of the writer and yeue remembraunce to the hearer and yf anye woll in thy presence saye anye thynge to tho wryters loke boldlye truste on Mars to answer at the full For certes I shall hym enfourme of all the trouthe in thy loue with thy conscience so that of his help thou shalt not varye at thy nede I trowe the strongeste and the best that may be founde woll not transuers thy wordes whereof than woldest thou drede GReatlye was I tho gladed of these wordes and as who saith wexen somdele lyght in hert both for the auctoritie of wytnesse also for syckernesse of helpe of the forsayd be hest and sayd Trulye ladye now am I well gladded through coÌ„fort of your wordes be it now lykynge vnto your nobleye to shewe whiche folke defame your seruauntes syth your seruyce ought aboue all other thynges to bene commended Yet quod she I se well thy soule is not all out of the amased cloude the were better to here thynge y t the myght lyght out of thyne heuy charge and after knowynge of thyne owne heelpe than to styrr swete wordes suche reasons to here for in a thoughtfull soule and namelye suche one as thou arte woll not yet suche thynges synken Come of therfore and let me sene thyne heuye charge that I maye the lyghtlyer for thy comforte purueye Now certes ladye quod I the moost coÌ„fort I myght haue were vtterly to wete me be sure in herte of that Margaryte I serue and so I thynke to done wyth all myghtes whyle my lyfe dureth ThaÌ„ quod she mayest thou thereafter in suche wyse that myspleasaunce ne entre In good fayth quod I there shall no myspleasaunce be